By Selena Owens - December 19, 2009 - NewsWithViews.com
Last week I submitted an article entitled, “What Should We Do if We Don’t Fight Back?” The article encouraged readers to take close look at the consequences of not engaging at some level against a government administration that is set on completely transforming our free enterprise society in a socialistic state. America’s “leaders” have utterly shown their disdain for the Constitution and American citizens, who espouse its laws and principles. This is the present state of America and we all must take a position on it. Like it or not, we are being called to action. If we refuse to adhere to the very visible signs of a deteriorating country at the hands of radical Leftists, then we have no one but ourselves to blame.
One of my readers suggested that I expound on the issue on the premise of the biblical scripture that show God’s people to how to directly engage Him in this particular type of fight. By all means, I advocate this position, so consider this part two.
“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” -2 Chronicles 7:14 (New King James Version)
Let’s take this step-by-step:
1. My people: First of all, one has to know without a shadow of a doubt that one is a child of God through salvation in Jesus Christ—and Him alone. This is imperative because if one wants to be heard by God, one has to be in His family. I realize that many people believe that just being patriotic Americans somehow qualifies them to God’s blessings and rights as His child; it most certainly does not. If you want an inheritance, you have to be part of the family. If you want to play on the team, you must play by the coach’s rules. God makes it perfectly clear as to how to obtain an audience with Him: become His child. He cannot hear the prayers of sinners, albeit, for the sinner’s prayer of repentance.
“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." -Acts 4:12
“The LORD is far from the wicked, But
He hears the prayer of the righteous.”
-Proverbs 15:29
“Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness:
thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy
upon me, and hear my prayer. O ye sons of men, how long
will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love
vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah. But know that the
LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the
LORD will hear when I call unto him.” -Psalm 4:1-3
(King James Version)
The scriptures are perfectly clear as to the criteria for one being able to gain a hearing ear with God.
2. Humble themselves – The next step in addressing God in a national crisis is for the believer to humble himself or herself to God. This means that things might not always go as planned, and that in His own particular way and timing, God will answer. Humility is necessary because it displays absolute trust in God, and not in the strength of man.
”LORD, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will prepare their heart; You will cause Your ear to hear,” -Psalm 10:17
God cannot even hear a person if he or she is not humble. Too often, while advocating the right reasons, the right causes, we forget to stay humble before the Lord and allow Him to direct our path. Am I suggesting that humility corresponds to inactivity when action is called for? Not at all. What I am saying is that in order to fight effectively, one must be ever so careful to invoke the presence of the Lord, discern His leading, and carry out His plans.
3. Pray – People of God, do not be deceived into thinking that we will successfully wage warfare against such a diabolical regime as this current administration without earnest, heartfelt prayer to God. We must pray! Prayer confounds the enemy and causes God’s children to advance His will in the earth. There are many, many scriptures that advocate the need for prayer. I especially find this scripture fitting for the hour that we are in:
“And I said: “I pray, LORD God of heaven, O great and awesome God, You who keep Your covenant and mercy with those who love You and observe Your commandments, please let Your ear be attentive and Your eyes open, that You may hear the prayer of Your servant which I pray before You now, day and night, for the children of Israel Your servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel which we have sinned against You. Both my father’s house and I have sinned.” -Nehemiah 1:5,6
Nehemiah, the Old Testament prophet, recognized the sins of the nation of Israel. The walls of Jerusalem were demolished and Nehemiah couldn’t bear to see his beloved city in that condition.
He was compelled to ask for permission from his employer, King Artaxerxes (not an Israelite), to take a leave of absence and undertake the task of rebuilding the walls. In order for the prophet, Nehemiah, to advance his prayer before God, he had to be in right standing before God. He would undertake a massive project, and right standing, prayer, and fasting was his method.
Notice that Nehemiah realized the prerequisite by which God would hear his prayer and answer him: love the Lord, keep His commandments, and the petition for God’s ears and eyes to be open to Nehemiah. Nehemiah also realized that the nation was in turmoil because of the sins of the people.
We cannot turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to the fact that Americans have set in motion the propensity for sin to perpetually occur in America (abortion clinics, gambling halls, removal of the Ten Commandments from courthouses, and the advancement of blatant homosexual behavior just to name a few). We must ask God for mercy to be extended so that the righteous can advance His will in the earth, not our own. The realization of the enormity of sin that has been rooted in America should cause us to constantly beseech the Lord for mercy on behalf of His people.
Nothing will answer the thwarted political agenda that is set against all that is good, right, and godly unless it stems from, and continues in, prayer.
4. Seek My face - The righteous men and women in America must seek the face of the Lord. We have to know beyond a shadow of a doubt what His will is for us to perform in the earth. We cannot assume His presence or toss out a prayer amid rush hour traffic and expect divine intervention. Throughout the day and into the night, we must commune with the Lord and strive to comprehend His ways.
“Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face evermore!” -1 Chronicles 16:11
“I will return again to My place Till they acknowledge their offense. Then they will seek My face; In their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.” -Hosea 5:15
“I love those who love me, And those who seek me diligently will find me.” -Proverbs 8:17
Seeking God requires the mind to pray and fast and read His word. This is the work of the Lord that will confound our (and His) enemies.
“O God, do not be far from me; O my God, make haste to help me! Let them be confounded and consumed Who are adversaries of my life; Let them be covered with reproach and dishonor Who seek my hurt. But I will hope continually, And will praise You yet more and more.” -Psalm 71:12-14 (New King James Version)
5. Turn from their wicked ways - To me, this is the biggest hurdle in this fight for God, family, and country. There exists so much deliberate sin in our land among those who hate God and His laws.
The spillover effect has tarnished those once righteous ones who now participate in acts of lawlessness. The standard is no longer what it used to be among the people of God, and thus, the demise of this nation hangs in the balance.
God will not and cannot hear a single syllable of a prayer from any person who does not repent from his or her wicked ways. It is imperative to remain on the righteous path with God and to depart from iniquity.
“For I have kept the ways of the LORD, And have not wickedly departed from my God.” -2 Samuel 2:22
“If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear.” -Psalm 66:18
© 2009 Selena Owens - All Rights Reserved